Attention is quickly shifting to the 2025 Pittsburgh Pro slated for May 10-11. On March 25, 2025, Shawn Ray and Bob Cicherillo discuss Martin Fitzwater’s chances against Derek Lunsford. They also explained why Nick Walker should compete at the Detroit Pro as a security measure to ensure his Olympia qualification.
Fitzwater heads into Pittsburgh with lots of momentum, having picked up a fourth-place finish at the last Mr. Olympia. From there, Fitzwater went on to defeat Chris Bumstead at the EVLS Prague Pro, securing his Olympia qualification early.
Nick Walker, meanwhile, couldn’t make it for the last Mr. Olympia and pulled out after his body was uncooperative during preparations. Initially, it seemed like Pittsburgh would come down to Walker and Fitzwater. That was until 2025 Arnold Classic champ Lunsford shook things up with a surprise entry. With the lineup changing, Ray and Cicherillo gave their take on what could happen when the show wraps up.
‘He Better Be Careful’ – Shawn Ray Warns Martin Fitzwater About Adding Size for Pittsburgh, Says Nick Walker Should Do Detroit Pro
In a recent YouTube video, Ray defended Fitzwater’s chances against Lunsford in Pittsburgh.
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“He does. Derek was off at the Olympia last year and controversially, could’ve traded places with Fitzwater and nobody would have complained. So it’s not a slam dunk,” shared Ray. “I don’t expect Derek to look like he did at the Arnold Classic come Pittsburgh. I just don’t think he’ll have the gas in the tank, but he doesn’t necessarily need it.”
However, he adds that Lunsford only needs a ‘95% look’ to earn the victory.
“A 95% look could be just enough to slide into that victory and put that $100,000 check in his pillows and eat, sleep, and train for the Olympia this summer.”
Ray argued that playing the size game could work against Fitzwater ultimately.
“Derek has a lot at stake. This is not going to be a walk in the park for Derek,” adds Ray. “Fitzwater playing the size game like Nick Walker, he better be careful because nobody said he was too small at the Olympia.”
Cicherillo was unsure if the added weight would work in Fitzwater’s favor.
“20 pounds, everybody does not mean he’s going to be 20 pounds heavier on stage. Again, gross versus net. Maybe he nets two or three pounds, if that’s the case, this could really be a great one-two battle amongst these two.”
“If it’s 5-10 pounds, that could be a problem,” explains Cicherillo.
Ray suggests that if Fitzwater adds too much size, it will open the door for Nick Walker to be in title contention.
“It opens the door for Nick Walker because Nick did beat Fitzwater in New York and Nick has been all hellbent on vengeance and trying to redeem himself, and he’s cock-sure he can beat Fitzwater again because he did it a year ago.
Fitzwater is the one that’s really the X-factor. We expect Nick to show up in shape because that’s what he keeps telling us he’s going to do,” replies Ray.
Walker should consider the Detroit Pro as a security measure if he fails to nail down an Olympia qualification in Pittsburgh, says Ray.
“Detroit would be on my list [if I were Nick Walker] because he didn’t anticipate Derek jumping into this Pittsburgh show where he could be denied.
But, if he kept the weight down, this is not that far off and this lineup doesn’t look so strong that maybe we don’t rule that out that maybe he is doing the business of sucking it up going on a low-carbohydrate diet, doing extra cardio, and says you know what, I’m going to throw my hat into Detroit just as a security measure.”
With Lunsford’s entry for Pittsburgh out in the open, it adds a new layer of mystery surrounding the event. The lineup is expected to be stacked with talent, including names like Michal Krizo, James Hollingshead, and Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov in the mix.
Based on Ray and Cicherillo’s conversation, it appears Pittsburgh Pro gold is up for grabs, and no one is a guaranteed shoo-in to win. Fans expect an intense showdown, especially with a $100,000 check on the line.
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